The First Warrior
by Huntress of Sacred Dreams
Summary: We face our darkest hour alone. But with the strength of love we can make it through and see the dawn on the other side.
1. The Goodbye

A single tear slid down your cheek as I whispered goodbye. "Don't be sad my love, I shall return,"

You turned your bright blue eyes onto my face, searching for the fear that I had hid so well.

"And if you don't?" she whispered, lowering her brilliant blue gaze. Sadness tugged at my heart but I brushed it away, I had to stay strong for the one who loved me most.

"I will return, I promise you that," I promised, but I knew I couldn't keep it. More tears leaked from your eyes and I brushed them away with a feather soft tail.

Again she looked at me, "What about the kits?"

Memories of sun filled days filled my mind. Of days when I had romped around with my dear kits. We had tumbled through the meadow of bright red flowers, splashed around in a sparkling blue stream. Those were the days we lived care free, not having to worry about what stalked through the shadows.

Fur brushed against my leg dragging me away from the perfect dream. Three kits stood beside their mother. One white, one gray and the last a deep blue.

"Don't go father," the blue one cried.

I lowered my head to look straight into his green eyes, "I will come back Storm, I promise,"

I tried not to wince at yet another lie, they seemed to spill out so easily now. My heart broke again as I looked back up at my mate. Her beautiful white pelt that usually shone in the sun now lay limp and lifeless against her thin frame. I fought back the tears that threatened to burst forth, I had to stay strong for my family.

A low call echoed through the trees. The call for us fighting cats to leave. I buried my muzzle into my mates fur one last time, hoping that I would indeed return from the blood bath ahead.

"Goodbye Willow," I murmured into her fur. From where my head was I could hear her heart beat. It was so slow, so faint. I could hardly hear it.

"Goodbye my love," she whispered back, her voice choking with sadness. The call echoed through the trees again, more urgent than the last. With one last look at my family, my home, I plunged into the elderberry bush and joined the steady stream of fighting cats. I looked back one last time, only to see my kits watching me leave from under the elderberry bush. Storm held my gaze until I broke it, looking away from my past life and into my future life.


	2. Heartbreak

"You are the cats chosen to fight next!" the huge black cat yowled while pacing back and forth, "You are the cats that are going to win this war!"

I huddled at the back of the crowd of fighting cats, trying desperately to not make eye contact with the tirade that paced back and forth across a flat rock. It was no use though. I looked up and he looked down.

"You, the cowering gray tabby, come here," he snarled menacingly, unsheathing his claws. Fear pounded at my ribs, threatening to break through. I swallowed the cry of fear and padded forward on unsteady legs. He chuckled coldly at my fear. My breathing was heavy and quick, sweat dampened my fur and my blood ran cold. The black tom suddenly lashed out, his claws sinking deep into my shoulder. Instincts I didn't know I had kicked in and I clawed back, tearing my shoulder from his cruel claws. Spitting with rage he curled his lip and plunged forward, snaking his head under my paws and sinking his fangs deep into my chest. A shriek of fear left my bleeding chest and without thinking I let my entire weight drop to the floor, crushing the black tom into the ground.

"Get off me now fighting cat," he muttered, spitting out dirt. With a grimace, I heaved myself to my unsteady paws and staggered to the side, hoping to slip back into the crowd.

"Let me see to your wounds," a feminie voice purred silkily. A honey coloured shape swam into focus. Her eyes were so distracting. They seem to drag me away from the nightmare before me and lull me into a sense of security. My eye lids grew heavy. Then all was black and I was plunged into a dream.

Dappled sunshine streamed through holes in the canopy above me. A light breeze toyed with my fur. Familiar mews drifted into my ear. Mews of my family. Hope flared in my chest. I had escaped that nightmare and come home! I burst from the trees and into an open meadow. A meadow that was filled with bright red flowers. A blue shape tumbled out of the ling grass and landed at my paws.

"Storm," I whispered. He looked up at me, his green eyes blazing. But he said nothing, just backed away slowely. Then he turned and ran, wailing in fear. Confusion washed over me and I took off after my only son. I could smell his fear scent and it filled me with dread. Why had my only son ran away from me? The meadow gave way to an icy cold clearing. Yet the sun still shined brightly above me, its rays touching the meadow, breathing life into it.

Then I saw you.

Your beautiful white pelt shone, glowing with radiance and beauty. I took a step forward.

"Willow," I breathed. You turned your glowing head to look at me, brilliant blue eyes shining with some hidden emotion. I took another step and then you changed. Your lips curled and a snarl ripped from your throat. My other kits stood behind your legs, cowering in fear. A tear slipped down Feather's white cheek. Out of instinct I took a few more steps, leaning down to look into Feather's amber eyes. Sharp pain suddenly sparked from my flank and I felt blood ooze from a deep cut. In shock I jumped back, looking up at your eyes. They were blank. No emotion shined in them. Your claws were soaked with blood. My blood.

"Why?" I asked, but you were silent. Rustling in the bushes alerted me to the presence of another cat. A deep red cat slipped from the shadows and ran his cheek across yours. You returned it by licking the strangers head. A raw emotion pierced my heart. Betrayal.

My kits ran over to him, mewing in happiness. They knocked him down, pouncing playfully on the red stranger. I couldn't take anymore. My kits were playing with a complete stranger as if he were their father. Had they forgotten me already? You looked up at me. You beautiful eyes bore into mine. _You are not wanted here anymore, leave now_, they seemed to scream at me. Taking one last look at my family, I turned and ran. Away from the family I had struggled to raise. Away from the family I had left to fight in a war for. Away from the family I loved. Tears pressed at the back of my eyes and I let them break through, streaming down my face. I came to rest at the bank of a sparkling blue river. My tears splashed into the river, shattering the calm water. The water changed suddenly. It grew red, as red as blood. The smell of carrion and rotten prey filled the air. Pain sparked from my flank again, and I turned to look at it. A small trial led from the deep cut on my side. I followed it with my eyes, shocked to find it leaking into the river. Realisation hit me and fear flooded into me. The river wasn't filled with other cat's blood.

It was filled with my blood.


	3. Devils Daughter

Jump, claw, land, spin, claw. The battle move spun around and around in my head as I practiced with a tiny fighting cat called Scar. We were told to fight with our claws unsheathed. To kill off the weakest of us. Scar was tiny though, his tawny brown body shaking with the effort of dodging my deadly claws.

"Are you okay?" I asked, concern glittering in my eyes.

Scar let out a snarl, "I'm fine!"

He lashed out with a sudden attack, catching my muzzle with his claws. Blood spurted onto Scar, staining his brown fur red. A sudden breeze ruffled my fur and I heard Scar let out a screech of pain. A purr sounded next to my ear and I twisted my head to look at my saviour. It was Elvena, one of the only she-cats in the fighting cat camp. She was head healer, always wandering around, looking for wounds to heal. Thank heavens she was the one to look after me when I passed out. Remembering the moment when I passed out made me remember the dream I had after it. The one where my mate betrayed me with another tom. Even my kits liked him more than me, their own father! A single tear slid down my cheek and a feather soft tail brushed it away.

"Don't cry, come to my den and tell me what happened," Elvena murmured, resting her tail across my shoulders. I suppressed a tired sigh and followed the pretty honey she-cat across camp. The sun slanted through the holes in the trees above, shining on Elvena's black fur tips, giving her a sinister look.

Elvena's den was in a sheltered part of the large camp, almost completely hidden by the weeping leaves of a weeping willow. Pretty red petals littered the ground, paving the way to Elvena's den entrance. I shuddered slightly despite the warm air. I knew I was being watched. Casting a swift glance I spotted dark eyes watching from the shadows. Those eyes I recognised. They belonged to the huge black cat I had fought with on the very first day at this terrible place. Night. But most of the fighting cats here called him Nightmare. His eyes narrowed at me, sparking with jealousy. Does he think that me and Elvena are? No that would be stupid! I have a loving mate and three beautiful kits! A loving mate that had betrayed me in a dream….No I mustn't think like that! It was only a dream! They mean nothing!

"Are you coming?" Elvena's voice drifted out of her den in the weeping willows huge trunk. With a snort, I padded into Elvena's den, sneezing at the sudden musty smell. As my eyes adjusted to the dark den I picked out strange things carved into the walls of the den. Strange creatures dancing across the wood. Monsters with blood dripping off their claws. A full moon as red as blood, with eyes of a cat. I stifled a whimper and turned back to Elvena. She was settling down in her nest, flicking out pieces of wood and thorns. Another smaller net lay in front of hers, I nestled down into it, sitting uncomfortably on my paws, ready to spring up if she tried to attack me.

"So tell me, what has been troubling you?" she asked, her deep violet gaze flickering. I held my tongue, wondering whether I should tell the lead healer about my troubling dream. I mean what harm could it do? It was only a dream.

So I told her.

By the end her violet eyes were wide with dismay.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked slowely, afraid of what she would say.

Elvena was silent for a few moments, I could see in her eyes that she was deep in thought, "That was not just a dream. Everything in that dream was true. From your mate betraying you to the river running red with your blood,"

My blood ran cold. Ice cold. Before I could answer a shrill cry echoed from outside.

"Intruders! They are here! They have brought the war to us! Every fighting cat must fight!"

Nodding a quick goodbye to Elvena I slipped out of the den and peeked out of the weeping willows drooping leaves. Huge black cats streamed out of the forest and into the camp. The fighting cats rose up to meet them, attacking the intruders with flailing claws. But something didn't feel right to me. The cats were too black. Their fur was blacker than the night and their eyes…. Their eyes were redder than the sun.

The silent night was shattered by cries of fear, anger and pain. An enemy raced past and I burst out of the leaves, crashing into the stranger and knocking him over. He let out a yowl that sounded more like a roar and dug his claws into my shoulder. Biting back a cry of pain I sunk my fangs into his neck, feeling the skin break under my teeth and blood flow into my jaws. The cat beneath me writhed violently but I held on until he stopped shaking. The stranger let out a final heave and died. Then his body just faded away.

What kind of cats are these!

More of these weird creatures flooded into camp. They were outnumbering our army by many. We were losing, so many dead bodies littered the floor. I heard a familiar screech. Scar! I followed his scent and found him cornered by three of the monsters. Just as I leapt onto the back off one of them the other moved like lightning, striking Scar in the throat. Scar let out a feeble wail, collapsing to the floor in a pool of his own blood. A rage consumed me like fire and all I saw was red. I could feel my limbs lashing out, hitting bodies. I could feel the blood as it sprayed from the monsters that were stupid enough to get in my way.

Then it ended. My rage subsided and the redness seeped away from my eyesight. My breathing was quick. Blood leaked from wounds I didn't know I had gotten. I turned and let out a gasp. I was stood in a circle. A circle of bodies. A circle of blood.

"Did did did I do all of this?" I panted, blood dripping off my head, splashing onto the ground.

Paw steps sounded close by and the smell of a cat I knew too well drifted over me. Elvena.

"Yes you did kill all these cats," she purred, entwining her tail with mine. I snatched it out, snarling slightly. "I was watching you and I am pleased with you,"

"I do not have to please you," I sniffed, lapping at a wound on my shoulder.

Elvena moved closer a snarl playing on her lips, "You do not want to defy me!"

"Why? What could you possibly do to me?" I retorted. Elvena moved back a few steps, smirking slightly. I suddenly regret saying that. Her beautiful shape began to change. Began to morph into something else. Her pretty violet eyes turned blood red. Her gorgeous honey pelt turned deep black. Her fangs and claws grew longer, sharper, larger. And huge black wings sprouted from between her shoulders, opening wide to reveal long cruel curved barbs on the end.

"What are you!" I shrieked, taking numerous steps back.

Elvena grinned, revealing dagger sharp fangs, "I'm the devil's daughter,"


	4. River of Blood

Run. Run and never look back. Those words I repeated over and over in my head, willing myself to go faster. I could hear Elvena crashing through the undergrowth behind me, her cruel, cold, malicious laugh echoing off the hulks of dead trees that surrounded me. Blood leaked from wounds inflicted by her claws, they stung and throbbed so much it almost blinded me.

"I will find you little warrior and when I do you will wish you never turned me down as your mate!" the comment made me stop in my tracks. My claws sunk into the swampy ground beneath my paws, gouging the life from it. A snarl ripped from my throat as the bushes behind me parted and Elvena stepped out, "Changed your mind have you?"

"I have a mate!" I roared, "I have a loving mate and three wonderful kits that are my life,"

A slow, sad smile made its way across Elvena's twisted face, "Have you forgotten what I told you? Everything in your dream was true. Willow betrayed you,"

I scrunched my eyes shut, hoping to close my eyes on the memory but it all came rushing back. The hurt I felt when Willow brushed cheeks with that stranger. The pain that had stabbed at my heart when my kits had clambered all over him like he was their father. The grief that had overwhelmed me like a huge wave.

"You're wrong! Dreams are dreams! That's all they are, they mean nothing!" I shrieked, puffing out my fur in anger. Elvena suddenly regained her demonic posture, her eyes turning an even darker red. An ear splitting screech came from her jaws and she sprung at me, huge claws un-sheathed. I dodged but the claws raked across my shoulders, blood spurting from the wound. Before I could even let out a cry Elvena was on top of me, her fangs inches from my throat.

"Wrong answer," she snarled, drawing her huge paw up in a deadly swipe. Last minute instincts washed over me and I lashed out with a clawed paw, catching Elvena in the eye. She let out a shriek of pure pain and staggered backwards, the foliage swallowing her. But I knew she'd be back. So I turned and ran. Ran further from my home. Further from my life. Further from the family I had cherished.

Blood pumped from all my wounds and I could feel myself getting slowly weaker. I stumbled to a halt and crawled under a bush, it smelled like an elderberry bush. _That's ironic, _I thought to myself. A sound of beating wings thrummed the air and I huddled further into the bush, praying that it would hide my scent. A huge wind made the bush shake and he sound of tearing roots made my heart stop. Then the bush was lifted from the ground and thrown with an incredible force. A laugh choked with malice sounded above me and sharp claws pricked my skin. I bit back a cry of pain and fear. My paws suddenly left the ground and I looked up in shock. Elvena's wings beat the air steadily, carrying her and me higher into the clouds. She looked down at me with blood red eyes and winked. A purr rumbled deep in her chest as I realised she was laughing at me. Anger bubbled under my fur and I bit down hard on one of her legs. She let out a sharp hiss and pain lanced across my head. Blood dripped into my eyes, blinding me momentarily.

When I could see again I looked down and fear turned my blood ice cold. A river flowed steadily towards the rising sun. A river that looked almost identical to the one in my dream. Elvena stopped moving and hovered above the river.

What she was about to do suddenly dawned on me. We were up so high and the ground seemed so far away.

"You answered wrong," was all she said. Then she dropped me. Wind stirred my fur, blowing it backwards. I wanted to screech in fear but I knew that would only give the tyrant above me happiness and pleasure. I knew I was going to die, I just pray that its quick and painless. Then the ground rushed up towards me and I hit the ground. Everything went black.

Light pierced my eyes from a small crack. Pain made every single muscle in my body ache. Is this how it's like to die? I excepted it to be less painful. As I opened my eyes my stomach did a flip and I groaned inwardly. I wasn't dead at all. I was alive, half in and half out of the river, the icy cold water rushing over my legs.

A dark shape materialised beside me and let out a disdainful sniff, "You are not dead? Oh well more fun to have with you then,"

Elvena chuckled a dark chuckle and stabbed her claws into my back. With hardly any strength left I couldn't retaliate or even let out a cry of pain. I just hung from her claws like a dead body. She threw me onto the ground once more, knocking the wind from me. I winced as she lowered her twisted face to look me in the eyes.

"I have a little secret to tell you," she purred, obviously enjoying every minute of her 'game'.

I let out a groan as I tried to heave myself to my paws, "Do tell, I doubt it would surprise me,"

A devilish smile crossed her face and her eyes glinted like a red full moon.

"That dream you had. It wasn't real. Except the part about the river running red with your blood," Elvena paused, emphasising her victory, "Your mate is waiting for you. But she will never see you again because I am going to kill you. And after that I'm going to pay her a little visit,"

She laughed and stabbed her claws into me again, lifting me high off the ground. Again she threw me onto the floor, a little closer to the river this time.

"Goodbye little warrior," she snarled.

Her claw sliced through my throat and I crumpled to the ground, my life pooling around my head and trickling into the river. The last thing I saw was the water in front of my eyes turn crimson with my own blood. I heaved out a last breath and all I saw was black.

XxXxXx

My own hoarse breathing woke me up and I staggered to my paws expecting another attack from Elvena. I was surprised to see a meadow of sparkling yellow flowers. Butterflies danced around the flowers, their vivid colours hurting my eyes. I blinked a few times and the shape of a cat appeared before my eyes.

I shrank back fur puffed out.

A feminine voice reached my ears, "It's okay, you do not have to fear those who live here,"

"Who are you? And where am I?" I asked, cautiously stepping forward. My eyes finally cleared up and I could see the cat who was talking to me. It was a young she-cat, probably only just older than me. She had sparkling amber eyes and long, flowing silvery blue fur and dark gray stripes.

"I am Star and welcome to the Place of Many Stars," she answered. I relaxed when I saw that even her eyes were smiling.

"Is this heaven then?" I rasped, a cough racking my body. Star padded closer, a trail of stars following her. Her tail whisked across my pelt and the feeling of sickness suddenly left.

She turned to look into my eyes, "Those here tend to call it StarClan,"

"There are others here?"

"Many but we have been waiting for you for many seasons," Star replied.

"Me? Why me?" I retorted, confusion clouding my tone.

"You are the first warrior to die a noble death. You didn't stop fighting when all odds were against you. You believed in yourself and that is what makes you a warrior of StarClan," she meowed, her voice rising into the sky.

"All I did was fight for my family," I mumbled.

Star shifted closer a purr growing in her throat, "That's all you had to do,"

She moved away and vanished into the long grass. Her voice rose up from somewhere in the meadow.

"Are you coming Eternal?"

I bounded away and slipped into the meadow and left the pain and suffering behind.

I am Eternal, the First Warrior of StarClan.

* * *

**That is my 4 chapter long story about the First Warrior :) Hope you guys enjoyed it. Its a different take on how StarClan came to be and how the cats of the land lived before the time of Clans.**

**Anyway Read and Review me your thoughts and praise. Flames are welcome but keep them civil and justified.**

_~~~Hunter of Sacred Dreams, Dreamstar of PheonixClan~~~_

**Come on down to the Warriors Challenge forum and join me! We have tonnes of fun challenges and games! We're all super friendly and don't bite (except Bou, she bites all the time :P)!**

forum/Warriors_Challenge_Forum/106930/ ** Link is right there! Click it I dare you!**


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